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American Airlines places ‘largest aircraft order’ in aviation history
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The Globe and Mail- American Airlines is buying at least 460 new planes over the next five years in what it calls the biggest airline order in history. And in a victory for Airbus, it's splitting the work between the European plane maker and Boeing.
American said Wednesday it will buy 260 planes from Airbus and 200 from Boeing Co. It expects the new, better-mileage planes to provide much-needed savings on fuel costs. American's current fleet is among the least fuel-efficient in the industry.
The jets carry a sticker price of more than $38-billion (U.S.), although big airlines routinely get discounts. And American might have played one aircraft maker off the other to get a better deal.
AMR Corp. (AMR-N5.010.081.62%), American's parent, also announced that it plans to spin off its American Eagle regional-flying subsidiary as a separate company.
The twin announcements overshadowed the news that AMR lost $286-million in the second quarter, as rising fuel prices wiped out an increase in revenue. The loss equalled 85 cents per share. Wall Street was expecting a loss of 77 cents, according to FactSet. Still, AMR shares rose almost 4 per cent to $5.11 in pre-market trading.
In recent weeks, the airline industry was riveted by the drama of Airbus and Boeing making competing bids to overhaul American's fleet. American currently flies and all-Boeing fleet.
In discussions that lasted long into Tuesday night, American decided to buy 200 planes from Boeing's 737 family of workhorse single-aisle planes, with deliveries starting in 2013. Half are expected to be equipped with updated, more fuel-efficient engines. The airline said it will take options for another 100 737s.
American also will buy 260 planes from Airbus's A320 series with deliveries starting in 2013, and take options and purchase rights for 365 more. Starting in 2017, American will get the first of 130 copies of a new Airbus plane called the A320neo — for new engine option — which Airbus claims will be 15 per cent more fuel-efficient than current jets when it goes into service in late 2015.
American will also take options and purchase rights for up to 465 additional planes through 2025, mostly from Airbus.
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